Drought, extreme heat, and heatwaves are the most prevalent trio of hazards endangering millions of children globally, according to a new climate report
Nearly half of the world's children — approximately 1.1 billion — are now exposed to at least three overlapping climate hazards, threatening their health, education, and survival, according to a new UNICEF report released yesterday. Alarmingly, almost every child on Earth faces at least one climate hazard, while more than 4 million children could confront as many as six overlapping threats simultaneously.
The Children's Climate Risk Report 2026, which draws on the latest available data, maps children's exposure to the eight most frequent climate threats: coastal floods, droughts, extreme heat, fires, heatwaves, riverine floods, sand and dust storms, and tropical storms. For the first time, the report pinpoints exactly where — and with what intensity — multiple and overlapping climate hazards are affecting children and the essential social services they depend on. It also outlines concrete actions governments can take to respond.
"The lives of children continue to be upended by the impact of heatwaves, wildfires, droughts, and floods," said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. "Half of the world's children are now living with at least three overlapping climate threats shaping their daily lives."
The Most Widespread Combinations
According to the findings, drought, extreme heat, and heatwaves are the most prevalent combination of climate hazards, with over 296 million children living in areas exposed to all three conditions. The second most common combination — drought, extreme heat, and tropical storms — leaves more than 115 million children worldwide exposed to these overlapping threats.
Regional Hotspots
The Sahel region of Africa, one of the hardest-hit areas, is home to more than 4 million children facing the triple threat of heatwaves, extreme heat, and sand and dust storms.
In Asia, countries including Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Pakistan are experiencing the highest concentration and intensity of overlapping climate hazards anywhere in the world.
High-income countries are not immune. In Italy, for example, more than 6 million children are exposed to prolonged heatwaves and drought. However, the country also illustrates how investment in climate adaptation can mitigate some of the risks — while underscoring the need for further action as the crisis intensifies.
Beyond the Eight Hazards
In addition to the eight primary climate hazards, the report analyzes children's exposure to air pollution and malaria — two risks highly sensitive to the effects of climate change.
Air pollution affects nearly every child globally.
1 billion children are exposed to malaria, adding another layer of danger for those already facing multiple climate hazards.
Vulnerability and Access to Services
The report presents a framework for analyzing the different types of risks children face, based on their exposure to climate shocks and their vulnerability — determined by access to essential social services such as healthcare, clean water, and education.
When multiple hazards and vulnerabilities are considered together:
Children in landlocked and fragile countries such as the Central African Republic and Chad face overlapping climate hazards while lacking access to basic services, making it far harder for them to cope and recover.
All children in 24 Small Island Developing States (SIDS) — from Haiti to Vanuatu — are exposed to tropical storms, which can disrupt entire islands at once and overwhelm essential services.
A Call to Action
Without urgent efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, climate hazards will grow more frequent and severe, placing even greater strain on government budgets and systems and threatening children's well-being, the report warns.
To protect children's rights from climate threats and adapt to growing environmental changes, UNICEF is calling on governments, businesses, and relevant actors to:
Reduce emissions and take ambitious action to fulfil existing international commitments, grounded in the best available science — including the urgent phasing out of fossil fuels and a just transition towards renewable energy.
Protect children through inclusive climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, and responses to loss and damage that prioritize the resilience of social services. This includes developing safe and green learning facilities, climate-resilient healthcare facilities, securing children's food security, making multi-hazard early warning systems effective for children, and strengthening water, sanitation, and shock-responsive social protection systems.
Empower children and young people to meaningfully participate in climate action by investing in climate education, knowledge, and skills, and by strengthening the capacity of decision-makers to respect children's rights to be heard and to participate in decisions that affect their lives.
"This analysis can help governments and decision-makers plan better and invest more effectively in resilient services," said Russell. "When we strengthen health and education systems, and improve infrastructure with children in mind, we protect them from today's climate threats and help secure their future."
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